Basketball: Winds of change in Winnipeg; hoops coach resigns

Both Winnipeg dailies have stories about Dave Crook resigning as the U of W Wesmen's men's basketball coach:

"Crook, a Winnipeg native and Elmwood High School grad, cried tears of joy when he replaced Bill Wedlake as the Wesmen head coach in March 2001, calling it his dream job. 'I hope and think this is the last job I'm ever going to have,' he said at the time.

"Crook, who was the 2000 CIS coach of the year, came from the Lethbridge Pronghorns, where he enjoyed plenty of success in 12 years at the helm. It didn't carry over to the Wesmen, however, as his regular-season record was 57-120. Despite making the post-season in seven of his eight years at the helm, the Wesmen won only one playoff round."

It is a damn shame whenever it ends this way. Winnipeg returned more than 90% of its scoring from last season and could not win for trying, so evidently it was that something-had-to-give stage.

3 comments:

Winnipeg made the playoffs 7 out of 8 seasons despite a winning percentage of .322...that tells you a lot about the playoff format used in Canada West doesn't it?When the Wesmen had Erfan Najaspour, at least they were interesting to watch if for no other reason to see if he could have a 40 point night.Right now, basketball in the province of Manitoba is at an all time low.Winnipeg has been bad for a long time and so are the Bisons who haven't been good since the days of Martin Riley.Now Brandon, the team that once terrorized the CIAU under Jerry Hemmings, is a bottom feeder as well.They were destroyed by UBC, with the Birds more than doubling the score on the Bobcats.I can't see things getting much better in the immediate future.

Manitoba coaches don't develop there talented players, more interested in winning and thats all.I don't know one big athletic player in all of Manitoba or one coach capable of developing one,sure speed can win in high school but basketball is a big mans game also a team game which is rare in these parts.The best players recuited locally can't compete with programs whom look beyond provincal boundries for real big talent